Earlier this month DPD Netherlands announced the acquisition of Cool Runnings Transport BV. This acquisition is fully in line with DPD Netherlands strategy to expand in the food and healthcare market. Cool Runnings Transport BV, based in Gilze (NB), is a logistics expert that specialises in conditioned transport, particularly of fresh and frozen foods in the Netherlands and Flanders.
DPD Netherlands has been active in the field of conditioned transport for some time now. BK specialises in conditioned transport for major national and international businesses in the healthcare, food and laboratory industry. From its state-of-the-art distribution centre in Boxmeer, the storage and transfer of pharmaceutical products is assured in a secure and conditioned environment. By acquiring Cool Runnings Transport BV, DPD Netherlands now further expands its services to include fresh food transportation.
More demand for transport of fresh food
The E-shopper Barometer, a study that Kantar TNS carries out each year for DPDgroup among 23,000 e-shoppers in Europe, also shows that the percentage of online orders for beverages and fresh food has risen significantly. Fresh food and beverages is the category that has experienced the highest growth in the Netherlands between 2019 and 2021. 42% of Dutch online shoppers have ordered fresh food and beverages since January 2021. DPD Netherlands is now responding to this through its collaboration with Cool Runnings Transport BV. DPDgroup already delivers fresh food in other countries including Belgium, France and Spain.
Transition of employees
The expansion of its services means that DPD Netherlands will take over the 65 employees of Cool Runnings Transport BV. Nothing will change for customers of all the parties. They will remain the customer of the organisation from which they buy their services. Cool Runnings Transport BV and DPD will continue to exist alongside each other and the organisations will continue to be managed independently.
Emiel van den Akker, Operational Director of Cool Runnings Transport BV: “Through this collaboration with DPD we see huge opportunities to come up with an answer to the electrification of logistics. We also want to further expand our B2B network and be able to offer a good solution for B2C as well. Together we can build a strong, temperature-controlled network for Food and Healthcare, with the environment and quality at its heart.”
Eric Dietz, Former CEO of DPD Netherlands: “We are delighted to work together with Cool Runnings Transport BV. In addition to successful ventures abroad (ChronoFresh France, DPD Fresh Belgium and Seur Frio Spain), we are now entering the fresh food market in the Netherlands. Our E-shopper Barometer study has shown that online shopping for food has grown strongly, due in part to the pandemic. This has resulted in new trends and a growing desire to consume products that are accessible through short circuits. It demands a specific type of delivery, which we can achieve together with Cool Runnings Transport BV.”
For more information:
www.coolrunnings.eu
www.dpd.com